My sister, Jeannie, and her husband, Gene Martin, are blessing our sweet, 90 year-young widowed Mother, Lillian Chapman, with a room in their home. Jeannie is one of the people the scriptures calls “greatest among you” because she is such a servant, especially in her role as a caring daughter. Then the day came when Jeannie heard the dreaded cry from Mom’s room. She had fallen, broke four ribs and punctured her lung.

The trip to the ER was followed by a five day stay in a hospital and eventually an extended stay in a rehab facility. While in the hospital my sister had to feed Mom because of the lack of movement she faced due to the pain. It was a temporary necessity but as Jeannie so lovingly put the spoon to our Mother’s lips I thought of all the times our Mother had fed us. The roles, though only for a short time, had reversed.

There are many others whose situations are not temporary. In the long term they, as the child, have become the parent.  “Trading Places” was written to recognize this role reversal and we pray that God will bless those who are serving their mother or their father in such a way.

Here’s “Whispers From Heaven,” a song written as though a message from my late Dad to Mom on what would’ve been his 92nd birthday. He went to heaven just a couple of weeks before their 69th anniversary but note in the video she says they were married 72 years. That’s how she sees it because she still feels very close to him. Oh what a deep love they shared.  (At this time this song is available only as a listen with this video).